Early Life and Times of Boone County, Indiana, published May 1877, republished 1974

JAMES BRAGG Was born in Fayette County, Ind., February 1830; moved to the east
side of Boone County, Ind., on Eagle Creek, in 1840; came to Lebanon November 1,
1849; was married to Margaret Kernodle April 27, 1851; was one of the contractors in
building the present court house in Lebanon, in 1856-'57, in which he lost two years' hard
work and what other money he was possessed with. At.that time he was engaged in
building many of the old-time brick buildings of Lebanon. He enlisted as a private in
Company F, 40th Regiment Indiana Vol. Infantry, at Lebanon, October 7, 1861; promoted
Second Lieutenant November 18, 1861: promoted First Lieutenant April 1, 1862. He was
engaged in the Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., April 7, 1862; was in siege of Corinth, Miss.,
during the months of April and May, 1862; was engaged in all the battles and skirmishes of
the Buell campaign to Louisville, Ky., in 1862; was engaged in the Battle of Perryville,
Ky., October 8, 1862; in Battle of Stone River, at Murfreesboro Tenn., December 31,
1863, and January 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1863; was engaged in the Tullahoma, Tenn., campaign
in 1863; was engaged in the battles and sieges around Chattanooga, Tenn., in 1863; was
promoted Captain, March 1, 1864; was engaged in all the battles and skirmishes of the
Georgia campaign to Atlanta. He received a concussion by the bursting of a shell from the
enemy's guns near his head while leading the skirmish-line at the Battle of Rosacca, Ga.,
May 8, 1864; received further injury while charging the enemy's works at Lost Mountain,
Ga., during a violent rainstorm, June 18, 1864; was engaged in the memorable charge of
the enemy's works at Renessaw Mountain, Ga., June 27, 1864, at which time so many of
our brave soldiers fell. As autumn leaves fall, so fell the bravest of the 40th Regiment at
Renessaw Mountain, Ga. He was engaged in the battle of Peach Tree Creek, Ga., July 20,
1864; was engaged in all the skirmishes to the taking of Atlanta, Ga., after which he was
sent back with the 4th army corps to take care of Hood and the rebel army. Was in the,
skirmish at Columbia, Tenn., in November, 1864·; was engaged in battle at Springhill,
Tenn., November 29, 1864. He was prominently engaged in the. battle. of Franklin,
Tenn., November 30, 1864, where he was slightly wounded and had his sash shot from his
shoulder: Mr. Bragg says of this battle: "Our division, that sirthe 2d of the 4th army
corps, bore the brunt of this terrible, bloody battle, losing more than 2,000 men. This was
the hardest fought and bloodiest battle, for the number engaged, during the war. It was a
hand-to-hand contest. The rebels, being stimulated by the aid of whisky, were urged on by
the valor of their officers to break through our lines and march on to Nashville, Tenn., only
thirty miles distant, and the home of many of the brave, rebel soldiers who fell to rise no
more at that bloody battle. Each charge made by the rebels was as stubbornly resisted by
us Union soldiers. Never wavering or faltering, but each one vieing with each other in
deeds of valor, every one of us baring our breasts to the enemy's guns to do or to die." He
was engaged in the two days battle of Nashville, Tenn., December 15 and 16, 1864;
marched to East Tennessee, then. back to Nashville, Tenn. He then went to New Orleans,
La., and crossed the Gulf of Mexico to Texas. He was mustered out at Texarkana, Texas,
December 21, 1866, by reason of his services being no longer required, as the war was
ended. He re-crossed the gulf, and was discharged at Indianapolis, January 23, 1866.

BRAGG KERNODLE